Automatic train pipe connecter



Feb. 6, 1934. J ROBlNsON 1,945,704

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTER Filed May 3, 1929 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE one-half to Roy M. Wolvin, Montreal, Quebec,

Canada Application May 3, 1929. Serial No. 360,196

2 Claims.

My invention relates to automatic train pipe connecters, and more particularly to means for supporting the same on the car. In my co-pending application Serial #341,887, filed December 2, 1919, now Patent No. 1,797,168, granted March 17, 1931, a support of the general character of the present invention is illustrated. It is an object of the construction herein illustrated to eliminate the tie rod forming a part of the above application, and anchor the supporting spring directly to the lower end of the bracket without the use of any separate or extra parts, the connection to the bracket being such as to give the spring free universal movement directly thereon.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of an arrangement embodying the improvements of this application;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the construction shown in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a front sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

In carrying out my invention I provide a bracket A which preferably spans a suitable lug B cast integral with or otherwise secured preferably to the underside of the car coupler. Suitable bolts or rivets 10 anchor the bracket to the lug.

The lower end of the bracket is provided with a generally vertically extending projection or anchor device 11 the front face of which constitutes a bearing or seat. The projection 11 is preferably round in cross section as shown particularly in Figure 2. The bracket is provided with laterally extending shoulders or lugs 15 and 16 arranged above and below said seat. A head supporting member or yoke C is mounted on the bracket for free universal movement relative thereto. The member comprises a hollow forward end connected to the head E and a projection or flange 32, the latter lying behind the bracket and normally bearing against the rear face thereof. Suitable straps 19, spaced apart, connect the hollow forward end and the flange 32 of the member and are preferably integral with these parts. The straps 19 are positioned on opposite sides of the projection 11 of the bracket. This arrangement produces a supporting member which spans the bracket and which is disposed between the lugs 15 and 16 aforesaid, the straps being provided with enlarged inclined certain portions 20 which co-operate with the lugs 15 and 16 to prevent undue rotation of the supporting member 0 from the normal uncoupled position.

The rear end of the straps 19 are joined by a housing which is a continuation of the flange 32 and surrounds the forward end of the sup porting spring F, secondary straps or tie bars 26 spanning said spring and continuing rearwardly from said housing and being joined at their rear portion by a sleeve 27. The extension spring F is hooked around the anchor device 11 and has universal movement thereon. The rear end of the spring F is anchored to the sleeve 27 by means of a wedge or anchor device 29 which passes through the portion 27 and through an eye 30 of the spring, said eye 30 at the rear end of the spring, and the eye 31 at the front end of the spring being each a continuation of a coil of the spring. The tie member 29 is preferably tapered so as to extend the spring as it is driven downwardly through the part 27. In this manner the spring is placed under the desired compression necessary to properly hold the radially extending flange 32, forming a part of the straps 19 and 26, '75 against the rear face of the bracket and thus yieldingly support the member C in the normal position. The tension of the spring F may of course be varied by changing the position of the tie device 29. When the connecter head E engages a mating head the member C is moved" rearwardly carrying the inclined portions 20 of the straps 19 away from the shoulders 15 and 16. This rearward motion of the member C is yieldingly resisted by the spring F. When the parts are moved rearwardly as described, the head E is comparatively free for movement up and down and also may be rotated to a considerable extent around the part 11 of the bracket.

What I claim is:

1. A device for supporting an automatic train pipe connecter head, comprising in combination, a yoke connected to said head and extending rearwardly thereof and having spaced portions, a bracket extending downwardly between said'95 spaced portions of said yoke and having a portion provided with a seat on its front face, said yoke intermediate its ends having a part adapted to contact with the rear face of said bracket, a coiled spring arranged rearwardly of said bracket, saidspring at its front end having a hook formed thereon which is hooked around said portion of the bracket and which engages said seat for rocking movement thereon, said spring at its rear end being operatively connected to said yoke at a105 point rearwardly of said bracket.

2. A device for supporting an automatic train pipe connecter head, comprising in combination, a member secured to said head and extending rearwardly therefrom and having spaced straps,;l;'l0

a bracket having a portion extending downwardly between said spaced straps and having a seat on its front face, said member having a. part arranged to engage the rear face of said bracket and also having spaced straps extending rearwardly of said part, a coiled spring arranged rearwardly of said bracket between said last mentioned spaced straps, said spring at its front end having JOSEPH ROBINSON. 

